Two killed And Ten injured in Sunamganj highway bus–Laguna collision

Two people were killed and at least 10 others injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a Laguna (human hauler) on the Sunamganj-Sylhet Regional Highway on Wednesday morning.

The accident occurred at approximately 11:30 am on the north bank of the Ahsanmara Bridge, near the Jagjibanpur passenger shelter in Sunamganj Sadar upazila.

The deceased were identified as Ibrahim (26), the Laguna driver and son of Abdul Hashim from Gagli village in Shantiganj upazila, and Zaher Mia (18), a passenger and son of Alfa Uddin from Narayanpur village in Sunamganj Sadar upazila.

According to witnesses, a Dhaka-bound bus collided head-on with the Sylhet-bound Laguna. The impact left the Laguna severely damaged. Local sources reported that the bus driver fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the crash.

Zaher Mia succumbed to his critical injuries shortly after being rushed to the Shantiganj Upazila Health Complex. Driver Ibrahim was taken to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital, where the attending physician declared him dead on arrival.

Among the injured receiving treatment at the Shantiganj Upazila Health Complex are Abdul Jahan (40) and his eight-year-old daughter Lutfa Begum from Gagli village, and Tauriz Mia (52) from Ganipur village in Chhatak upazila.

The collision caused severe traffic congestion and brief panic on the highway. Members of the Shantiganj Fire Service and local police quickly arrived to rescue the victims and clear the road.

Aliullah, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Shantiganj Police Station, confirmed the casualties. "Police have been deployed to the scene to restore normal traffic flow, and the Highway Police have been formally notified to investigate the incident and track the fleeing vehicle," he stated.

This stretch of the highway has become a hotspot for fatal crashes. On Tuesday night, another person was killed in an accident in the Pagla Madrasapara area, following an April 15 incident that left two injured near the Pagla Gonoshasthaya Kendra. Locals are demanding immediate, effective interventions from the Highway Police to curb reckless driving and illegal overtaking.